Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Dostoyevsky is, in principle, correct. However, in reality people sometimes lie to themselves to make life bearable. Lying to oneself serves as a very effective system of breaking down experiences, and controlling their impact on the person and those around them. It is useful for situations of excruciating pain, for separating or portioning it out, as to gain a better, more thorough understanding of the experience. Lying to yourself can be a subconscious action, especially for young children, as this stores the real circumstances at the back of the mind, to be recovered at another time. Love is absolutely still possible, though through a path less worn, laced with pain, and seen through a filter.
